Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This Mexican Street Corn Pasta salad is one of my favorites! It's loaded with amazing smoky flavors from the charred corn and the dressing, and it's the perfect cold creamy pasta salad to share.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 459kcal
Ingredients
- ½ pound orecchiette pasta or mini bow ties, ditalini, rotini
- 3 cups corn kernels frozen or fresh
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro loosely packed
- ¼ cup small diced red onions
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed and diced
- 1 medium avocado diced
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco plus more for garnish
- Fresh lime for garnish
For the dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise plus more to taste
- ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Juice of 1 or 2 limes or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook the pasta in generously salted water according to package directions until a little past al dente. Drain and rinse through cold water to stop the cooking process. Note: For pasta salads, I prefer the pasta to have a softer bite, but it's a matter preference.
- Sauté the corn: Pat dry the corn well. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the corn with a little bit of oil until slightly charred and softened. Set aside.
- Combine: In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta, charred corn, cilantro, red onions, jalapeño, avocado, and crumbled cotija cheese (or queso fresco).
- Add the dressing ingredients: To the same bowl, add all the dressing ingredients. Toss to combine until evenly coated. Season and adjust to taste.
- Serve: Garnish with lime slices, cilantro and more cheese on top. If you'd like, add another squeeze of lime juice on top.
Notes
- Cook pasta slightly past al dente: Rinse under cold water after draining. Softer pasta absorbs the dressing better once chilled.
- I like to serve this street corn salad chilled, but at room temp is great too.
- Mix everything in one bowl: There is no need to whisk the dressing separately. Mix the dressing ingredients directly into the rest of the salad.
- Add avocado right before serving: Hold off on mixing in the avocado until serving time to prevent it from browning, especially if making ahead.
- Make ahead: You can mix the dressing up to 2 days ahead (store separately). The pasta and charred corn can be cooked 1 day ahead.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add a splash of fresh lime juice or extra dressing before serving if the salad dries out.
- Do not freeze.
- Mexican Crema: Sour cream.
- Jalapeño: Swap with serrano peppers or omit entirely for a non spicy version.
- Onions: Use the white parts of green onions for a milder taste, or omit completely.
- Pasta shapes: Orecchiette works best to scoop up the corn kernels, but ditalini, mini farfalle, or rotini work well.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 949mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg